Living Today
Articles from Christian teachers and leaders. Designed to help you as you follow Jesus here in the Cook Islands
4 Ways to Love Better
I was recently talking with someone about some relationship struggles they were experiencing. The need for patience was what we ended up with as a critical component to loving better.
It’s very interesting, that in the love chapter in 1 Corinthians, it starts with “Love is patient…”.
Love in our relationships (spouse, friends, family etc), is more than just the thought. God wants us to love, not just in word, but also in deed! The good part is that God will help us love.
Here are 4 habits Christians could practice to better love one another:
- Be Patient in All Things
1 Corinthians 13:3
Love is patient, love is kind….
- Keep Your Promise
Matthew 5:37
Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.
- Learn to Let Go
Ephesians 4:31-32
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
- Trust Without Wavering
1 Corinthians 13:7
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Article by Mark & Cindy, Vision Christian Media
The Cross at Easter
The cross is an important symbol during Easter, reminding us of the incredible sacrifice Jesus made. Despite all of our struggles and pain, the cross reminds us we are not alone in this world. We can find strength and comfort knowing that Jesus has already saved us from our sins. It’s this hope for redemption through Christ’s death on the cross that makes Easter such an integral part of Christian tradition. Stu Millar from Train to Proclaim recently shared on Vision Chrisitan Media his...
When All Seems Lost
Now what? That’s something that all of us have said to ourselves at one time or another. In his new message, ‘When All Seems Lost’, Pastor Jeff Vines covers the topics of marriage and keeping relationships strong. Jeff offers encouragement for those of us who are struggling with chaos and feeling lost. God does not give His law arbitrarily. When God tells us He wants us to live in certain parameters and by certain precepts, He does it because He loves us. If He’s the creator and sustainer of...
Compassion and Action
The crewmembers on board Logos Hope all left their homes at one point to come on board the ship to live and work together with others from around the world. They exchanged their familiar environments for a very unique accommodation – a ship – which sooner or later they also call their home for a specific amount of time. They all do know though, that there are many people in the world, who are longing for a place to stay in which they can experience peace and safety. The refugees who leave...
Dad’s Toolkit
It’s a fantastic opportunity to reflect on the value of family, and in particular the role of dads. What are your strengths as a parent? Are there some areas you could grow in? How do you begin your journey of becoming the parent God has called you to be? Brett and Kate Ryan from Focus on the Family, have created a ‘Dad’s Toolkit’ that’s full of ideas on how dad’s can improve themselves. It contains things like conversation starters with your kids, and questions we can ask our dads. Healthy...
Truth, Lies and Financial Freedom
Many Christians divide their lives into categories. Some things they want Jesus to be a part of, but not others. Because we compartmentalise our Christian lives, according to Pastor Jeff Vines, we instantly assume that everything we don’t devote to God is neutral. God will still love us, but any area that we withhold from Him and think we can handle on our own is a false assumption. C.S. Lewis said, ‘There is no neutral ground in the universe.’ Every square inch, every split second is claimed...
God is always wanting to use us
Recently, I was clicking through folders and folders of early photos of our kids. From baby age to the present, I just got lost in it for hours. How good it was to recount the memories, the places we had visited and I just couldn’t hold back giving God the glory for the good things He had done in our family. Towards the end, a certain photo stopped me in my tracks. You see, over 2yrs ago, our eldest daughter moved to Perth to follow God’s plan for her life. While Cindy and I daily still miss...
Bringing Clarity in Confusing Times
Dr Kameel Majdali is an ordained minister of the Australian Christian Churches. He preaches all over the world with an emphasis on the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. He also leads the organisation Teach All Nations, a ministry that is dedicated to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with as many people as possible. Kameel recently joined the 20Twenty program on Vision Christian Media to share a preview of what to expect in his upcoming Australian tour. His desire is to bring...
God is Always at Work – We’re not Always Seeing It
Did you know that God is not waiting for us to pray before He starts to work? It’s not like He’s saying, “Hey church, if you don’t pray, I can’t do anything.” The fact is that God is always “up to something”. He’s purposely been out-working His redemptive plan, a plan that’s been underway since day one, way back in the garden. In fact, before the garden. He’s busy wooing people back to Him. He’s already working on your neighbour, or friend, or lost family member. He’s actively in the...
How To Read and Study the Bible
Can you imagine being surrounded by the freshest produce, in the best kitchen with the best utensils, but not knowing how to prepare a meal? For many Christians, that’s exactly what reading the Bible feels like. Simply put, we just don’t know how to utilise it effectively. Ben Windle says you can attend church for many years, listen to a lot of teaching and still not learn how to read the Bible for yourself. Yet there is no better way to fuel our growth than personally engaging with the Bible....
God is Always Speaking
“Hello God, are you there? Why don’t you answer me?” I’m sure that has come out of our mouths at least once in our lifetime. Sometimes the idea is that God has turned off or gone quiet. It’s not like He’s keeping silent to teach us a lesson in faith. The reality is, “God is always speaking; we’re not always listening.” Ezekiel 12:25 For I the Lord will speak, and whatever word I speak will be performed. Genesis 35:13 Then God went up from him in the place where He had spoken with him. Psalm...
Use Your Key
‘Blessed are the people who know how to praise You.’ Psalm 89:15 GWT
To open a locked door, you need the right key. It’s the ‘how–to’ that enables you to get inside and get what you need. Praise is like a key that enables us to come into God’s presence. ‘Those who have learned to acclaim You… walk in the light of Your presence.’ (Psalm 89:15 NIV) Praise isn’t simply a reaction to coming into God’s presence; it does much more. It opens the door through which God enters your life and goes to work on your behalf. In other words, praise brings God’s presence along with His direct action and intervention.
The name Judah means ‘praise the Lord’, and when the 12 tribes of Israel travelled, Judah led the way (see Judges 20:18). On one occasion when Judah’s enemies lined up against them, Jehoshaphat, their king, sent a choir to the front line ahead of the army to sing the praises of God. It may sound like a strange strategy, but it brought a supernatural victory. The Bible says, ‘As soon as they began singing, the Lord confused the enemy camp… Then they turned against each other.’ (2 Chronicles 20:22–23 CEV)
Praise is an expression of faith; an affirmation that you believe God is in control of the situation. The Bible speaks of ‘the sacrifice of praise.’ (Hebrews 13:15 NKJV) That means you must praise God even when you don’t feel like it. When it doesn’t come naturally, you must choose to do it anyway.
Nehemiah said, ‘The joy of the Lord is your strength.’ (Nehemiah 8:10 NKJV) Praise can heal your emotions and lift the weight of negativity you’re under. Go ahead—try it! Use the key of praise!
SoulFood: Josh 14–15, John 15:5–17, Ps 148:1–6, Pro 29:11–15
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright ©